Dump car



R. W. JOY

DUMP CAR July 11, l1944.

Filed Oct. ll, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 11, 1944.y

DUMP CAR Filed oct. 11, i941 s sheets-sheet 2 Patented July 11, 1944 DUIWP CAR Robert W. Joy, Berwick, Pa., assignor to American Car and Foundry Company,

New York, N. Y.,

a corporation of New Jersey Application October 11 1941, Serial No. 414,557

(Cl. S-308) 10 Claims.

rlhis invention relates to dump cars in general and in particular to gable bottom dump cars having side opening doors controlled by automatically operating latches. The majority of gable bottom dump cars with side opening doors have been constructed with the doors on opposite sides, linked together and operated in unison positively by the tripping mechanism. Certain dump cars with side opening doors have been constructed for automatic opening of the doors but the final latching of these doors, after being open, was of necessity accomplished manually. It is an object, therefore, of the present invention to provide a dump car with side opening doors which are automatically latched in closed position.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a dump car with side opening doors held in closed or locked position by means releasable either manually or by trackside equipment.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a dump car with side opening doors which are automatically unlocked simultaneously but the movements of which after unlocking are wholly independent of each other.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art from a study of the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an end view of the improved dump car;

Fig. 2 is a partial side view with parts shown in section adjacent the center of the car to better disclose the construction and Fig. 3 is an end View with parts in section and showing the opposite end of the car from that of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the car body is vsupported upon the usual wheel and axle assemblies W (only one of which is shown) through the medium of journal boxes 2 carried by suitable bracing structure attached to transversely extending channels 4. These transverse channels are fastened by angle clips 6 to longitudinally extending I-beams 8 located directly above the journal boxes, as clearly shown in Fig. l. The ends of the I-beams are connected together by a plurality of end channels lll and l2, the latter of which is disposed vertically and extends to the sides of the car forming the full end sill. The end sill is braced adjacent its center to receive a combined coupler and draft rigging I4, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The draft forces from the draft rigging are transmitted through a front follower I6 to the channel l0, previously referred to, and also to an upper channel l1 extending across and secured to the I-beams 3 forming the side frames of the car. Bufng forces are transmitted through a rear follower I8 to back-up plates 20 resting against and secured to the adjacent transverse channels. The back-up plates are cut out as at 2| to permit rearward movement of the draft yoke 22, as is customary. The bottom of the car is formed by and secured to the underframe by longitudinally extending Z-bars 24 to which are attached upwardly and inwardly inclined angles 26, which in turn support the upwardly and inwardly inclined floor sheets 28, having their inner ends located closely adjacent each other and protected by a gable cap 30. The end walls of the car 32 are securely attached to the underframe and also to the inclined floor sheets by angles 34. The upper edges of the end sheets are stiiiened by angle form top chords 36, which are connected to longitudinally extending angle shape top chords 38 attached to the upper edges of the rigid side wall plates 40 forming part of the side walls of the car. The lower edge of the rigid side walls of the car have attached thereto angle members 42 extending longitudinally along the side wall and carrying hinge butts 44. These hinge butts are adapted to receive hinge pins 45 extending therethrough and through hinge straps 46 which in turn are riveted or otherwise secured to the door plates 48. The doors, as clearly shown, are formed of a single plate having angle members 50 secured thereto and extending longitudinally along the edges of the door and joined together inwardly of the plate by transversely extending angles 52, thus electively stiliening the door plate. In order to stifen the central portion of the door against bulging a Z or other angular member 53 is attached to the door intermediate its edges and carries at its ends a pin member 54 providing a pin for reception of the outer end of a door control link 56. The ends of the doors close against the longitudinally extending legs of angles 51 fastened to the end walls and joining the end walls to the rigid side wall portion, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

The inner end portion of the door control link is pierced to receive a pin 58 extending through link 56 and through a second door control link 63, which in turn is pivoted as at Bl to a bracket 62 riveted or otherwise secured to the end sill, as clearly shown in the figures. The doors, as shown, are inclined inwardly from their normal vertical position in order that they will by gravity tend to swing open and normally will hang in avertical position permitting discharge of fine material from the car. In order to lock the doors in their load carrying position, the door control links 5E are extended inwardly as at 64 beyond the pivot pin liti and have their inner ends enlarged slightly and formed to provide a curved end 65 and a latch seat Due to the upward and inward inclination of secondary door control link SQ the inner end of primary door control link 5@ must move upwardly and outwardly in order for the doors to open. Movement of the door control links toward door opening position is prevented by means of latch or strut bars lll pivoted at their upper ends to the car end wall through the medium of a strap l2. Intermediate the ends of the latch or strut bars a lug 'iii is secured which is adapted to engage or disengage seating surface iS of the door control arm and prevent or permit its movement. The latch or strut bars are extended downwardly beyond the latching lug 'lil and provided with an angular shaped end 'l5 forming seats against which the ends of a compression spring T3 may bear. This spring will constantly urge the latch lug into engagement or into a position to engage the extension 64 of the door control arm. It is to be understood, of course, that the latch mechanism and door control arms just described are duplicated at each end of the car. Controlled or unlatching movement of the latch bars or struts le is. ob-

tained by means of a rod 3B extending longitudinally of the car beneath the gable hoor and carrying adjacent its ends plates 82 having slots 83 formed therein. These slots are adapted to receive clevis like links 84, the open ends of which are pivoted as at 85 to the latch or strut bars. Rotation of the latch control rod 823 is obtained by means of a crank arm 86 secured to the rod and connected by a ring like member to the inner end of a bell crank B8. This bell crank is pivoted upon a pin 88 extending through a bracket 99 secured to the end'sill of the car. The free end of the bell crank extends substantially parallel to the end sill and outwardly thereof to provide an operating portion or projection S2. This part extends beyond the clearance limits of the underframe and into position to be lifted by means of a trackside ramp. This bell crank extension is guided in its vertical movements by means of a bracket Sil secured to the end sill of r the car.

In order to improve the appearance of the car and protect the door control arms or links, plates .96 are attached to the car underirame and to the car end walls, thus completely housing the door control members and protecting the same against injury.

Assuming the car doors and lock parts to be in the position indicated by full line in Fig. 1, that is, in a load carrying position, the opening movements of the doors are prevented by means of the latch bars or struts 'ill since they prevent the upward swinging 'of the control arm extension (ill. If the free end 52 of the bell crank 68 is now lifted, either by hand or by a trackside membei', hen ring Sl will, through arm 35, cause a clockwise rotation of rod Si? as viewed in Fig. 3. Rotation of the rod i0 will also cause movement oi plates 82, placing a tension in cleviscs 8f3 and pull the latch bars or struts "Hl toward each other compressing the spring and removing lugs 'M from engagement with seating surfaces of the door control arm extension. The latch parts will then be in the position as shown by full line of Fig. 3 and the weight of the lading in the car will cause the doors to swing outwardly moving primary links 56 and secondary links 60 to some position such as that indicated in line and dash in Fig. 1. In this position of the doors the material in the car may discharge into trackside bins. As soon as the bulky material has discharged the doors will by gravity swing towards a closed position but will hang substantially vertical leaving a slight opening for discharge of small particles which will of necessity move out of the car at a slower rate than do the larger particles. In this way full discharge of the car is insured. It will be noted that after the latches have been removed from the door control arm extensions and the doors have started their opening movement, the latches may then be returned to their full line position of Fig. l which is arcomplished merely by releasing the operating end 92 of the bell crank. It will also be noted that f after release of the doors their movements are wholly independent of each other and one door may open to a greater or lesser degree than the other. After full discharge of the car the doors may be either kicked shut by an operator or closed by some suitable mechanism, such as that disclosed in United States Patent 1,266,530. Regardless of the manner of closing of the door, it will be seen that as it moves to nal closed position, the projection 64 of the primary control arm will be pushed inwardly and downwardly and in its inward and downward movement will strike latch lug '14, pushing the associated strut or latch 'l0 inwardly and compressing the spring. When the door and control arms have reached their final position the latch lug 14 will be snapped by the spring into the position shown in Fig. 1 in which seating surface 66 of the primary door control arm is engaged. The inward movement of the latches or struts is permitted by the slots 83 and the movements of the individual latches are independent of each other at all times during the closing and latching of the doors.

While the invention has been described more or less in detail with specific reference to one form thereof, it will be obvious to persons skilled in the art that various modications and rearrangements of parts, other than that described, may be made and all such modifications and rearrangements of parts are contemplated as will fall within the scope of the appended claims denin'g my invention.

What is claimed is:

l. In a dump car the combination of doors hinged on the car and opening upwardly and outwardly independently of each other, independent door control arms for each door connected to the door and to the car and pivotally connected together by a pivot which swings upwardly and outwardly during opening of the door, and lock means carried by the car and engaging at least one of said door control arms adjacent said pivot and preventing upward and outward movement thereof thereby locking the door in closed position.

2. In a dump car the combination of doors hinged on the car and opening upwardly and outwardly independently of each other, independent door control arms for each door connected to the respective door and to the car and being pivotally connected together by a pivot which swings upwardly and outwardly during opening of the door, latch means carried by the car and engaging at least one of said door control arms adjacent said pivot and preventing upward and outward movement thereof, and means connected to said latch means to move the same out of engagement with said door control arm thereby releasing said door for opening.

3. In a dump car the combination of doors hinged on the car and opening upwardly and outwardly, independent jointed control arms for each door and composed of links pivoted to the respective door and to the car, and lock means carried by the car to hold the door control arms, said lock means comprising latch bars pivoted on the car and engaging said control arms to prevent movement thereof, a longituldinally extending rod, means connecting said rod to said latch bars, and an operating member connected to said longitudinal rod to rock the same to release said latch bars from engagement with said control arms.

4. In a dump car the combination of doors hinged on the car and opening upwardly and outwardly, independent jointed control arms for each door and composed of links pivoted to the respective door and to the car, and lock means carried by the car to hold the door control arms, said lock means comprising latch bars pivoted on the car and engaging said control arms to prevent movement thereof, a longitudinally extending rod, means connecting said rod to said latch bars, and an operating member connected to said longitudinal rod to rock the same to release said latch bars from engagement with said control arms, said connecting means including lost motion devices permitting independent locking of the control arms when said operating member and rod are in door locking position.

5. In a dump car the combination of doors hinged on the car and opening upwardly and outwardly, independent jointed control arms for each door and composed of links pivoted to the respective door and to the car, and a plurality of lock means carried by the car to hold the door control arms, said lock means comprising a plurality of latch bars pivoted on the car and engaging said control arms to prevent movement thereof, operating means pivotally carried by the car and connected with the latch bars and operative to effect substantially simultaneous release of said latch bars from engagement with said control arms, and spring means constantly urging said latch bars toward engagement with said control arms.

6. In a dump car the combination of a door hinged on the car and opening upwardly and outwardly, door control arms pivoted to the door and to the car, lock means carried by the car to prevent movement of the door control arms when the door is in locked position, said lock means including a latch bar pivotally mounted on the car and constantly urged toward engagement with said control arms when said door is closed, said latch bar acting as a strut preventing movement of the door control arms and operating means connected to said latch bar to remove the latter from engagement with the control arms whereby said door may open.

'7. In a dump car the combination of a door hinged on the car and opening upwardly and outwardly, door control arms pivoted to the door and to the car, lock means carried by the car to prevent movement of the door control arms when the door is in locked position, said lock means including a latch bar pivotally mounted on the car and constantly urged toward engagement with said control arms when said door is closed, and operating means connected to said latch bar to remove the latter from engagement with the control arms whereby said door may open, said operating means having a slotted connection with said latch bar whereby the latter may be moved independently of the remainder 0f the operating means.

8. In a dump car, a body, a door hinged to the body and adapted to swing toward open position by gravity, a jointed control arm having its end portions connected to the door and body respectively and its intermediate portion provided with a pivot, said arm being so arranged that said pivot moves in an upward and outward direction during opening movement of said door, and releasable lock means engaging said arm adjacent the pivot when the door is in closed position to restrain said arm against movement.

9. In a dump car, a body having a side door hinged to swing toward open position by gravity, a pair of control links at each end of the body and having one end portion of each pair pivotally connected to the door and body respectively and their opposite end portions connected together by a pivot, lock means carried by the body at each end thereof and engaging at least one link of each pair adjacent the pivot to restrain the door against opening movement, and operating means carried by the car for substantially simultaneously releasing said lock means from said control link.

10. In a dump car, the combination of a side door hinged to the car and adapted to swing toward open position by gravity, a jointed door control arm at each end of the car pivoted to the door and car respectively, lock means carried by the car at each end thereof to restrain said door against opening movement, said lock means including latch bars pivotally connected to the car and engaging said control arms at the adjacent end of the car when the door is in closed position, resilient means constantly urging said latch bars toward engagement with said doorv control arms, and operating means extending longitudinally of the car and connected to the latch bars and operative to release said latch bars from said control arms to permit opening movement of the door.

ROBERT W. JOY, 

